Snake in the Grass
by forever-lost-in-paradise
Summary: Penelope and Derek are finally where they belong: together. But there's always trouble in paradise-only this time, it isn't their fault, but that of a not so friendly face from Derek's past.
1. Chapter 1

Snake in the Grass

Chapter One

_Yes, I know I just completed a story. But I can't stop writing! I originally was going to put this in as a plot twist in my first story, but I realized it could expand and stand alone. Be warned: this tale is not for those who can't stand angst. With that in mind…here we go!_

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the BAU characters, CBS does.

"Come on, Mama, are you sure you don't want to dance?" Derek gave Penelope an uncharacteristic puppy-dog face, which caused her to laugh slightly. Still, though, she adamantly refused to step out onto the floor with him. It was a matter of principle, she decided. Even though she and Derek had started dating 'officially' a month ago, she just didn't want to put herself out there like that, especially with her Chocolate Adonis. Plain and simple, she told herself, you're not anything like the women Derek usually dances with.

"Seriously, handsome, I just don't think it's a good idea." Her shoulders slumped slightly, which didn't pass Derek's notice.

"Come on, Baby Girl. Spit it out. What is bothering you?" That was Morgan. Couldn't fool an FBI profiler, right? She'd been foolish to even try. Sighing deeply, she decided to tell him the truth.

"Take a good look at me, handsome. I'm not, as I've told you, somebody that someone sits in a smoky bar and writes songs about. Not someone that you would normally pick up. You'll look bad if you're seen dancing with a klutz like me." Derek was taken aback. Usually his goddess radiated such confidence and never seemed anything less than happy with herself.

"Penelope, listen to me. I won't look bad dancing with you. You're beautiful, smart, amazing, and I love you so much. That's exactly the type of woman I want to be out on the floor with. Don't let anything or anyone convince you otherwise. Got it?" Penelope nodded, tears poking out of her eyes. Once again, he'd made her feel special, made her feel important. That was one of the ten thousand things she loved about him.

"Now, how about dancing?" At this point, Penelope didn't really have any choice but to let him lead her out into the swarm of people already swaying in time with the music.

Opposite them, in a secluded corner, a woman sat alone and watched them. Jealousy glinting maliciously in her eyes, she began to formulate a plan. A plan to get rid of this geeky woman and get the handsome Derek Morgan. After all, he belonged to her. He was much more hers than this nerdy strangers'.

Soon, the trap would be set. Hell would be unleashed. And then, in the aftermath, she would once again have Derek wrapped around her heart.

_Yes, I did just do that. Teaser beginnings to my stories are my specialty, after all. Don't worry, I won't leave anyone hanging for too long. Update coming soon. Please review, yada yada yada. _


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Standing in line at the coffee shop, Derek sighed and checked his watch for the sixteenth time in as many minutes. _Could the service here be any slower_, he wondered, exasperated. He half wanted to skip his daily caffeine ritual, but knew that work would be that much harder without it. Being a few minutes late for the case briefing and experiencing the wrath of Hotch would be better.

"Hey, Derek." A seductive voice brought him out of his internal griping. Turning, he knew immediately who had spoken.

"Hello, Melinda," he replied, trying to keep his emotions out of his eyes. _Why now? Why now? Why of all times did she have to show up NOW? Why did she have to be not three feet away from him, when, as far as he knew, she had been more than a thousand miles away?_

"Did you miss me?" The question had a slight edge to it, and her eyes were slightly narrowed. Derek had no idea how to answer her. His mouth went dry, and he felt sweat gathering on his fingertips.

"As an acquaintance, I did," seemed to be a safe response. Damn, why was she doing this to him? He'd broken off the relationship years ago, even before he started working for the BAU. And certainly way before he had started dating Penelope.

"I still don't see why you did it." Her tone was laced with anger and a bit of hurt. "Why wasn't I good enough for you?"

"I've already told you, Melinda, the reason I broke up with you is because I realized I didn't love you like that. Come on, you know it didn't really work. We fought a lot and we hardly had enough time to see each other. That's not how a relationship should be like at all. I ended it so at least we could still be friends instead of it getting to the point where we hated each other." Melinda didn't look satisfied by his answer at all. She tried to pull a pouty face on him, but it failed miserably.

"Shouldn't you be asking me why the hell I'm in good old Quantico, Virginia?" The subpar attempt to get Derek to smile also didn't work. Without waiting for an answer, she continued: "I just got a job as a TA in the FBI." No way. No way. Derek's ears must be failing him. Melinda, his still bitter ex-girlfriend, working in the same building with him? And, as it seemed, even closer to Penelope. Lord have mercy when she figured out the relationship between him and his Baby Girl. She would never stop badgering him about it, most likely.

Little did Derek know that this form of torture would be nothing compared to the events that unfolded.

After bidding adieu to Melinda, he headed for work. Completely flustered by their meeting, he had completely forgotten his coffee. When he got to his desk, however, he saw a steaming mug of his favorite blend already waiting for him. The napkin underneath had a lipstick kiss on it, which gave away who had left it for him. Penelope really was smarter than he gave her credit for, he decided, though he did wonder how exactly she knew that he needed some Joe. Derek prayed that she hadn't actually installed an undetectable surveillance device in his clothes like she had once teasingly threatened to do.

Several hours later, as he was finishing a report of a recent case, Derek's computer pinged, letting him know that he had received yet another email. Clicking it open, he groaned. It was from Melinda, because the first line read "Hey Dere-beary"—the most horrible nickname he'd ever gotten in his life. It was definitely not something he missed when he broke up with her.

_Hey Dere-Beary_

_Sorry about this morning. I know it was really awkward for you. I have missed you a lot, though. I was wondering if you wanted to meet for lunch today, my treat. Just to catch up and stuff, nothing more. Hit me back if you want to, kay-kay?_

_MelMel_

Derek's first instinct was to delete the email and never think about it again. Besides the sickeningly sweet nicknames, he thought the whole thing was ridiculous. How dare she just waltz into his life like this? Part of the reason he left Chicago was to get a fresh start, and that one hundred percent meant getting away from _her. _To be honest, he had no idea why he even dated her in the first place.

He stopped himself just before clicking 'delete', however. It was just one lunch. And only to catch up. That was it, he would make sure of it. To blow her off, especially when she was treating, seemed rude. Rather begrudgingly he replied a '_yes, let's meet at the FBI entrance at noon'. _Derek hoped that Penelope wouldn't mind. She had mentioned that today she would lunch with Emily and JJ, anyway. He realized, however, that if she ever got wind that he had been with a mysterious woman, even if the relationship had been reduced to a platonic one, all hell would break loose. On a whim, he walked up to her office and knocked.

"You have knocked on the door to the Lair of Omniscient Supremacy, what is your desire, Mortal One?" Derek cracked a smile and entered the colorful Tech Cave.

"My only desire is you," he stated sweetly and pecked Penelope's cheek. She blushed and laughed. "Hey, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Well, you can always talk to me for more than a second, handsome. What's up?" He sighed, hoping that she wouldn't take anything he was about to say the wrong way.

"I'm going to go to lunch with an old friend of mine. Actually, we used to date. But I ended it a long time ago, back when I was still a cop in Chicago. The whole thing was a flop from the start. Anyway, she's now working as a Technical Analyst here, and she invited me to lunch just to catch up. Nothing more, I swear." Penelope's brow furrowed as she tried to process this information. After a moment, she decided that getting more details would be the best way to give her a better peace of mind about this unsavory situation.

"Wait. Your ex is now your, and I guess my colleague? She conveniently moves to the same place you are and gets a job where she is close to you? And then she asks to have a lunch date with you? Doesn't this sound a little fishy, no offense to our fellow sea creatures intended?" All legitimate concerns, Penelope decided. After all, she had reason to be suspicious. Derek used to be a player, only stopping when he finally asked her out.

"Baby Girl, I'm sure her working here has nothing to do with me. And, believe me, I will only eat with her once. When you meet her, I know you'll understand why I broke up with her and why I have no interest in us getting back together. We're not alike at all, trust me." After a few moments of thoughtful silence, Garcia realized that being suspicious of the man she loved so much wasn't healthy for their relationship. He'd never lied to her before, why would he start now?

"I trust you, Hot Stuff. Are we still on for dinner at my place?" Relieved, Derek at last could crack a genuine smile.

"That we are, Angel, that we are." He chastely kissed her lips and left her office, knowing that she had scads of work to do, as did he.

Noon eventually rolled around. Right on time, Melinda met him at the FBI entrance as planned.

"Where do you recommend we eat, Dere-Beary?" she asked as they walked to his black SUV.

"If you drop the nickname, we could go to Cap City Diner. They have great food, and it isn't too expensive." The drive there was mostly silent, as Melinda seemed to be lost for words when she couldn't use any of her nicknames for her former boyfriend.

When they were seated and they had placed their orders, however, she seemed to have regained her confidence.

"So, how have you been doing since you left, Derek?"

"Pretty well, actually. The FBI is pretty hardcore, you know. It's rare that I even get to have this relaxed of a lunch, to be honest. I'm usually on a case. It was just paperwork today. How about you?"

"Oh, you know me, always learning code. I quit my old TA job in Chicago because, to be honest, it didn't seem as fulfilling as working here in Quantico. Stopping serial killers has to be more satisfying than pretty much anything else in my field. Enough about me, though. Your life has to be more interesting than what you already told me. Have you met anyone yet?" Immediately, Derek felt a little uneasy. Mentioning Penelope could cause Melinda to be hostile towards him or her. But he figured she would find out soon anyway, so lying would only make it worse.

"Well, I am dating, yes. Her name is Penelope Garcia, and she works as a TA as well, coincidentally." He expected that she would explode in a fit of rage, but she only smiled sadly. The subject soon was changed to FBI policy, and it seemed as though she had forgotten about this entirely after a few minutes.

Inside Melinda's head however, the cogs were beginning to turn. Penelope Garcia, very interesting. So that was her name. _Well, Penelope, _she thought, _enjoy your man. While you still can. Because after I'm through with you, you'll wish you never laid your hands on MY Dere-Beary. _

_Similar to last chapter's ending, I know. Sorry about that. Review, as always!_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"_Melinda, please! You don't want to do this!" The man shook slightly, fear growing in the deep brown pools of his eyes. The gun, not three inches from his head, seemed to be taunting him._

"_How would you know, Jim? You barely know me! But, you see, if I spare your life, I'm going to need a favor out of you."_

"_Anything, Melinda, anything!" Jim was desperate, making this promise solely on the hope that she wouldn't pull the trigger. _

"_All right, I'll tell you what to do. But before that, I must warn you of something: you go to the police, you tell anyone about this, you're dead. Got it?" Jim knew that she wasn't kidding. Gulping, he nodded in agreement. _

The next few days had passed mostly uneventful. Derek was relieved that Melinda hadn't attempted to contact him again. Luckily though, his relationship with Penelope was still strong even after the awkward lunch date. In fact, he was finding that he was falling more and more in love with her each and every moment. Smiling, he patted the small box hidden in his pocket. He could hardly wait until tonight, could hardly wait to see her face when he presented the ring to her.

Derek glanced at his watch and realized that it was time for break. As he walked up to Penelope's lair, he was stopped by a short, rather geeky man who clearly looked like he wanted to speak to him. Jim Phillips was his name, right? Derek thought he might be another TA.

"Agent Morgan?" Phillips trembled. He looked uneasy, nervous. Was he really that afraid of speaking to a colleague? Derek wondered.

"Yeah, that's me. What can I do for you?"

"You're going up to see TA Garcia, am I correct?" Something was definitely wrong here. Why the hell would some nerd even ask him something like this? Suddenly, he realized the possibilities, and his heart plummeted.

"Is she all right? Did anything happen to her?" he blurted out rather loudly. Fear clutched him tightly.

"She's fine, believe me. In fact, she's more than fine. But not for the reasons YOU think."

"What the hell are you talking about, Phillips?" Morgan was definitely not in the mood for games.

"This is all rather awkward to explain. But I guess I should just come out and say it: Garcia doesn't love you anymore." At this, Derek immediately assumed that he'd heard wrong. When Phillips repeated it, however, he felt sick. And then suspicious.

"How would you know?" he asked. Rather sheepishly, Phillips pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket.

"She sent me this letter a couple of days ago. I was kind of surprised to get it, because she usually hates to waste paper, so I figured whatever was on it was important. Here, you read it. It's all the proof you need, Agent Morgan, to know that Penelope Garcia is no longer yours." He handed the note over.

_Jim,_

_ I feel so guilty as I write this. Guilty that I haven't told Derek the truth about us. When this all started, this 'friends with benefits' thing, I didn't expect to fall so in love with you. Back then, I loved Derek. _

_ Things have changed. I just don't feel the chemistry between him and me anymore. The magic, for me, is long gone. Unfortunately, I don't feel that he realizes this. I just don't know how to tell him that it is you that I belong with, not him. And so I am doing the only thing I can think of doing: leaving Quantico. I've already filed a resignation with Hotch-check the records if you don't believe me. I'm going to the place that we so often dreamed of returning to: California. If you truly love me, you'll meet me there. _

_ Before you leave, could you please tell all of my team (except Derek) our address (you know, the address we often discussed). They are my family too, and I want to have contact with them. There is no way in the world that I can ever see Derek again. It would be too painful for the both of us. I believe wholeheartedly that he loves me, but, Jim, it is the most horrible thing in the world to know that you are loved, but not love that person back._

_ I love you so much. I hope to see you soon. And if not, just know that you are the most important person in my life and that I'll always love you no matter what. _

_Penelope_

The handwriting was hers. The words hers. Yet Derek couldn't believe it. Only yesterday she had said that HE was the most important person in her life and that she would always love him. Surely, this letter was a prank. He slammed the paper onto the desk and ran into Garcia's office.

It was deserted. All of her trinkets and photos were gone. Her computers were shut off, their blank screens seeming to stare right into Derek's soul. He hurried back to where Phillips was still standing, slowly coming to the realization that this wasn't a joke.

"Why, Phillips? Why did you steal her from me? You knew she was in a relationship!" Jim smiled smugly and shook his head.

"Hey, Morgan, she came to me. This wasn't my fault. And, to answer all those "But she said she loved me and she looked like she meant it" thoughts, well, you know she's a great actress." The urge to send the little bastard flying through the air and straight into the bowels of hell was almost overpowering Derek. Angry tears fell down his face.

"This isn't over, you son of a bitch! I will find her! And then I'll prove to her that I'm the better man!"

"That's really rather presumptuous, agent. Think for a moment: does she seem like someone who wants to be found? No. Don't you think it seems a little selfish to track her down when she clearly doesn't want you? That doesn't seem like someone who loves her, now does it?" Derek's shoulders slumped. He stormed away from Phillips and out of the FBI building.

Meanwhile, miles away, a terrified woman was chained in a dark basement. If passersby's had better ears, they may have been able to hear her cry out "Derek, please help me!"

_Honestly, this twist came out of the blue as I wrote this, so it was unexpected for me, too. Reid fact for you all: Melinda means something like "dark serpent". And as you guys have figured out, her name fits. Anyway. Update coming soon! Review!_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

_Okay, I realize that many of you think that Derek is completely idiotic. And yeah, he kind of is. But so far, when he sees Melinda, she's not really threatening, right? I do know that he seems a tad OOC, but it's fan__**fiction. **__Bear with it, okay? Melinda will, at some point, get what she deserves and Derek will take a hint. _

_This chapter isn't explicit or anything, but I would say be at least 13 to read. Just a reminder, I DON'T WRITE SMUT. I am young compared to most other writers on this site, so please be gentle about this okay?_

A Few Hours Later, BAU bullpen

"I-I just can't believe this," Reid whispered as he clutched Penelope's note. "This isn't like her at all."

"Believe me, kid, I know," Morgan replied, shaking his head, but this may also have been an attempt to clear his head, for he'd drunk more than his fair share of beers at the bar only a few hours before.

Reid almost felt like crying. One moment, his good friend was right where she was supposed to be, the next moment, she was gone. Like his father. He'd been abandoned all over again.

"Are you absolutely sure that this isn't some sort of a bad joke?" Prentiss asked, also distressed by the sudden turn of events.

"Emily, her stuff's gone. I swung by her apartment. The landlady said that she had indeed moved out." Derek rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, if only to distract his fist from punching that bastard Phillips, who apparently had already packed his bags and was heading off to California.

"Hey, Morgan, do you mind if I hold onto this letter for a little while? I'd like to look at the linguistics, just in case." Reid, obviously, wasn't willing to relinquish all hope that Garcia hadn't left them like that.

"What do you think you'll find, though?" Not waiting for an answer, Derek nodded his consent. Suddenly, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket.

"Hey, Derek." It was Melinda, sounding rather chipper. Morgan groaned inwardly, of course not in the mood to talk to her.

"Not now, okay? I've got a lot on my mind." It was the most polite thing he could think to say.

"Tell me about it. I might be able to help." _No, you wouldn't be able to help at all, _Derek thought darkly. He suddenly realized something.

"How did you get my number?"

"You know it's in the FBI database. As a TA, I have access to that kind of information. But don't worry, I'm not a stalker." _The irony, _she realized.

"That's, um, great," Morgan responded, at a loss for what to say. He desperately wanted to hang up.

"Come on, baby, tell me what is bothering you." No. NO. It was none of her _damn business. _

"I really don't want to talk about it, okay? I have to go." He started to hit the END CALL, but Melinda started to say something, and her tone of voice was that of worry.

"What happened to your girlfriend? She wasn't at work today. Is she all right?" As far as Derek knew, Penelope and Melinda weren't really friends at all, but then again….they worked in close proximity. It could be candid concern.

"She left." It was all he could say before the tears came. Embarrassed, he tried his hardest to make the torrent of sorrow stop, but his efforts were futile. Eventually, though, he regained control of his emotions.

"Aw, Derek, I'm sorry." Melinda didn't even sound remotely happy about this turn of events. _Maybe he'd misjudged her, after all. Maybe she had more sympathy and understanding than he'd first thought._

"Apparently, she stopped loving me. So maybe it was for the best. After, all I want is for her to be happy. And if that means that she goes off to live in California, then so be it." Of course, Derek was acting more cavalier about the situation than he truly felt.

"Anything I can do?" Melinda tried her hardest to make all her motives for this question seem pure.

"Actually, could you drive me home? I'm a little stoned right now. I shouldn't be at the wheel."

"Of course I can. I'll meet you at the entrance in ten minutes, okay Der?" As she hung up, Melinda did a mini happy dance. If this all played out like it did in her fantasies, then life would be perfect.

Arriving at Derek's house, she was pleased that he invited her in, though he had only done it as a gesture of gratitude. As she sipped on a glass of lemonade, she tried to plan out what she should do next. Her hopes were somewhat dashed by what he said next, however.

"I need to lay down, actually. Thanks for the ride, but I'm not in the mood to talk more." Indeed, his speech was still a bit slurred and his eyes looked heavy. Melinda decided to pounce now, while he was still intoxicated.

"You don't need to talk to kiss me," she whispered seductively, tenderly placing her hand on his abs. Confused, Derek wasn't able to react until her lips were locked with his. He tried to pull away, but because she was completely sober, she had more control. After a moment, he began to forget about his troubles, about Penelope. It was at this moment that he remembered why he'd dated Melinda in the first place. She was second to only Penelope in making him feel this good, this right.

He allowed her to deepen the kiss; still under the powerful influence of alcohol, he had lost all touch with the warning sirens blaring in his head. Her tongue ran against his teeth, causing him to moan in pleasure.

"You still want to lie down?" Melinda asked him as the kiss finally broke. Derek's eyes were steamy, his whole body screaming for his urges to be fulfilled. Morgan the One-Girl Man, the image he'd tried to have when he still had the love of his life, had disappeared. Of course, the alcohol played a big part in this, but Melinda wasn't any saint, that was for sure. He allowed her to lead him to bed…..

Meanwhile, Phillips had been chained next to Penelope in the basement. Leaving him unhindered was suicide for Melinda, of course. He would've apologized to his prison-mate for his part in her predicament, but the tiny detail that she had been beaten into unconsciousness by himself and Melinda put a serious damper on that idea…..

"_You foolish bitch! You really think that Derek will save you? Derek hates you!" PUNCH. Penelope doubled over in pain, but still had enough strength to speak._

"_He __**WILL **__come, and he will give you what you deserve. I don't believe anything you say!" PUNCH. KICK. KICK. PUNCH. And the harassment continued until Penelope was rendered motionless. Melinda smiled in satisfaction and swiftly injected Phillips so that she could chain him. _

_Her revenge on Garcia for stealing her boy, coupled with the chance to finally get back together with Morgan, was making for an enjoyable stay in Quantico…_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Reid's Apartment

Reid's eyes filled with tears as he stared at the framed photo of the whole team. Garcia had one arm around Morgan's waist and used the other hand to make bunny ears over her boy genius' head. It didn't seem like the Garcia in the photo was the one who suddenly left them all.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out her letter. At a glance, the handwriting was certainly hers. Her curlicue script was rather hard to forget, after all. Reid paused, however, as his eyes fell upon something: _I'm going to the place we so often dreamed of returning to: California. _That sentence made absolutely no sense at all. Oh, the grammar was correct, but the words certainly didn't belong to the bubbly Technical Analyst. His mind flashed back to something she'd told him about a year ago when they were on a case in San Francisco.

"_Normally, Reid, I envy you guys because of all the interesting places you visit, but this time I don't."_

"_This is your hometown, isn't it?"_

"_Yes, it is. I…..I have a lot of bad memories from there. It was where my parents were killed. It was where I was arrested. Yeah, because I got arrested I met this team, but still…..it's not an experience I would wish on anyone, minus the creeps you guys go after, of course."_

Reid realized that her statement in the letter could be a clue. Maybe she hadn't left of her own free will. He studied the linguistics of each letter. Instead of suggesting a person excited to get away and start a new life with a man, it seemed to be a note written under stress, as though she was fearful as she printed each word. Of course, these signs were subtle, something only an analyst would've discovered. It made sense with the theory that was brewing in the young genius' mind: that Garcia had been abducted.

Derek's House, the morning after

_Shit. Oh, SHIT. _These were the first things that popped into Derek's mind as he woke. What the hell had he done? Was he totally OUT OF HIS MIND? He'd just slept with his ex-girlfriend even though he was committed to Penelope? True, she'd left, but that didn't mean that he would stop loving her, that he would hook up with a second-rate girl. He cursed himself for getting drunk. Those DARE classes back in elementary school were taught for a reason, apparently.

Melinda still slept not a foot away from him, a blanket wrapped around her exposed body. She awoke, however, when Derek suddenly jumped out of bed and started pacing in a circle around the room.

"What's wrong, baby?" she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" he bellowed, sounding ruder than he intended to. Melinda visibly flinched, a little shocked by the magnitude of his rage. Of course, she'd expected him to be angry in the morning, when realization dawned on him, but she'd banked on the fact that her looks and charm would win him over quickly. This now seemed highly unlikely.

"Der, baby, she left you. It doesn't matter. You did have a good time, right?" She spoke rapidly, hoping he would see reason.

"That doesn't matter. I cheated on the woman I love. I'm sorry, but you need to leave. Now." His emotions were all jumbled up, a cacophony of guilt, horror, anger at himself and Melinda clashing with his anger at Penelope for leaving all screaming into his soul. He watched as she hopped out of bed and hastily pulled on her clothes.

"I really am sorry if I hurt you, baby." Derek instantly felt a twinge of remorse. After all, she hadn't forced him to let her take him home. That was his choice to allow her into his home and into his bed.

"No, this isn't on you. It's my fault. But please, don't call me anymore. Leave me alone. I have enough to deal with."

"But bab-''

"No babying. Just leave, okay?" Without another word, Melinda retreated to her car and drove away. Derek sighed, shaking his head mournfully.

_How the hell can I live with myself now?_

The Basement

Garcia groaned, her eyes slowly flickering open as they surveyed her surroundings. She was still trapped in the lair of some she-demon. To her left, Phillips was also chained. His eyes were also open, yet he remained still and silent. When he realized Penelope was awake, he turned the best he could to face her.

"I'm…so…..sorry," he whispered, evidently still slightly under the influence of the drugs that had been injected into him.

"Who is she?" Penelope asked.

"Her name is Melinda. She works as a TA in the FBI, too."

"How come I don't recognize her, then?"

"She's new. From what she told me, she's here to get her old boyfriend back. He would actually happen to be Derek Morgan, your beau."

"WHAT?" Unbelievable. Unbelievable. _The lunch date, _she remembered. A barrage of questions pounded her brain. "Is Derek involved?"

"Not consciously. From what I gather, he wasn't interested in her at all." _So that part wasn't a lie, _Garcia mused. That was a small relief.

"Why kidnap me, though? How are you even involved in all of this?"

"If you haven't realized by now, Melinda is a psychotic bitch. I have no idea how she's been able to find employment. She surely couldn't pass any pysch evaluations. She comes up to me in the alley near the FBI building, where I was getting a smoke. She pulls out a gun and threatens to shoot me if I don't help her. I know I'm a coward, but Melinda did say that we wouldn't kill you, so I felt better about saving my own life. Anyway, she explained that we had to get you out of the way so that she could have Derek. We emptied your office, filed a false resignation paper, even cleared out your apartment. The goal was to make it look like you ran off and started a new life with, well, me. That was why she had you write that bogus goodbye letter, though because you were still a little drugged, I don't know if you remember that." A few minutes of silence followed, as Penelope tried to process this information. She finally spoke.

"So…all of this…was just to get Derek back? She did all of this…for an ex-boyfriend?" It was too much to believe.

"Like I said, she's completely insane. I can, however, tell you something that will make you feel better. When Derek read the note, he was extremely upset. He didn't want to believe it was true. He went off and got drunk after completely chewing me out for "stealing you." His volatile response is something only someone who truly loves you would have."

"But…..if he thinks I've left him…..he won't go looking for me, right?" Her hope of being rescued was dwindling quickly.

"Wrong. When he comes to his senses, he will hopefully realize how false that note is and come and find you."

"Wait, you said come to his senses. Has she drugged him too?"

"I believe so. She basically confessed that she slipped something into his drink during their lunch date."

All of this news was starting to overwhelm the fragile Penelope, and she began to sob. Each tear awoke the injuries already plastered on her body until her whole being was almost on fire with the pain. _You have to be strong, _she reprimanded herself. _Derek still loves you. You know he does. And you still love him. This isn't his fault at all. He WILL come for you. Be strong._

Suddenly, Melinda appeared, a triumphant smirk on her face.

"Be ready to cry more, bitch!" she taunted Penelope as she watched her victim weep. "I just got back from a great night at Derek's place!"

"That's a lie!" Garcia shouted. "Derek loves me, not you! He would never do something like that!"

"Think what you want. But, when you get out of here, ask him. Ask him what he did with me. Ask him if he liked it. I don't think you'll like the answers. Oh, wait! That just reminded me of something: I'm never going to let you out of here! You'll just rot down here while I enjoy the life with Derek that you'll never get to have."

Penelope was stunned. Surely, Melinda was lying. She had to be. Of course she was. Anyhow, she would have to accept that the cruel woman was spinning this yarn to break her down. Believing Melinda would only aid in wasting her strength. Summoning all of her energy, she spoke.

"You're wrong. And you're pathetic. Kill me, then. That won't help Derek love you. Nothing you do to me will. Our love is stronger than your poison, stronger than your hate. Not a single thing you say will stop me from loving him, or stop him from loving me. No matter what, you lose."

Seconds later, Penelope was rendered unconscious as Melinda, enraged by her prisoner's strength, delivered a harsh kick to her temple. Her lies of having "a great time" with Derek had proven to be a waste of energy. She realized her plans were beginning to come apart…

_I hope that helped clear up a couple of things. At least Derek doesn't look as stupid—he was under the influence of Melinda's drugs. She hopefully will be unraveled next chapter by the team. But hey, I gave you guys a teeny tiny spark of hope at the end there!_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but this dramatic plot, Jim, and of course Melinda.

"Guys, I think Garcia's been abducted!" Reid burst into the bullpen, waving the letter in his hand. The rest of the team, including a rather disheveled Derek, turned to stare at him.

"How do you figure?" Rossi questioned, though he seemed like he accepted Reid's hypothesis on the spot. It certainly made more sense than the explanation in the note.

"The way that certain letters are shaped—it suggests she's under stress. The bit about her going to California—I remembered that she told me once that she didn't like California anymore. But if someone was making her write this, they maybe wouldn't know that!"

"But who would want to kidnap Garcia? She doesn't have any enemies." JJ, a voice of reason, was finding it hard to believe that anyone would gain one iota of happiness from abducting a Technical Analyst. She actually didn't know which was worse: her friend abandoning her, or friend being held by some stranger.

"Hang on. Jim Phillips! He's the one who gave Derek the note, right?" Prentiss exclaimed. Derek shook his head.

"Yeah, he gave me the note, but Phillips isn't as sharp as the screwdrivers. He is a great hacker, but he definitely doesn't have the skills to formulate an elaborate scheme like this. Wait! I just remembered something. When he was speaking to me, his eyes were darting back and forth a lot. He was definitely uneasy about something."

"Someone put him up to it, but who?" And then Derek knew. He supposed he'd always suspected who did it, but he had foolishly ignored his thoughts. The rather spontaneous lunch date, the offering to drive home followed by that unforgivable night—it all clicked horribly together when one considered that Penelope had disappeared just when _she _arrived.

"My ex-girlfriend, Melinda. It was her. I'm sure of it. She wanted me back, it was obvious. I didn't expect her to go to these lengths to do that, though." Guilt rampaged through his entire being. _I'm so sorry, Baby Girl. _

"If you're right, won't we find her taking down Pen's stuff in the security footage?" JJ asked.

"That'd be a good idea, except the footage was deleted. It was discovered all screwed up this morning. As for the resignation, I think it would be easy for an analyst to slip a false one in." Hotch knew they had nailed the right girl; he could feel it in the same way that Gideon used to.

"Derek, do you know where she would take Garcia?" Rossi exclaimed, not wanting to stand around any longer.

"I don't even know where she lives," Derek responded with a groan. Sure, they'd figured out who the perp was, but that was of no use if they couldn't find Penelope. Fear clutched his throat and held tight. _Would she even be alive? _Regret once again consumed him. While he'd been spending the night with Melinda, the only woman he'd truly loved was all alone. She was likely scared, confused, even hurt. He felt sick, and it took all of his willpower to keep from vomiting on the spot.

Another TA, this one named Christopher Blake, was called up to get an address for Melinda Quade. In a matter of minutes, he had produced the needed information. The whole team realized then how lucky they were to have Garcia, for she could've gotten the answer in about twenty percent of that time. Apparently, the saying 'you never truly appreciate something until it's gone' was true.

"Morgan, you, Prentiss, and I will go to her house. The rest of you stay and go through Melinda's stuff. Jim's too. See if you can find anything to suggest an alternative location for Garcia, any plans, anything at all, really." Immediately they got to work, realizing that if they wanted to save her, they would have to make the best of every second. The unnerving part of all of this was that they didn't know exactly how dangerous Melinda was, how likely she was to actually kill Penelope if things didn't go her way. All they could do was try and stop her. And hope. Because there was still reason to hope.

Morgan, naturally, drove at a speed far above the limit, but no one bothered to reprimand him. In fact, they actually were pressing him to go even faster. The address led to a nice red-brick home. The cozy exterior certainly didn't reflect the monster that lived in it.

"Melinda Quade, FBI!" Morgan bellowed. After about three seconds, he'd had enough of waiting. His focus was completely on getting his girl back. He ferociously kicked the door in and immediately started searching, with Hotch and Prentiss just behind him. Each room, however, was completely devoid of any human life.

"What next?" Emily asked, her eyes starting to look desperate. Hotch shook his head. Unless a miracle was found by the rest of the team….this situation looked to have less than a happy ending. As if on cue, however, his phone buzzed. The ID read "Reid."

"Reid, please tell me you got something!"

"I think I might know where she's going. She repeatedly references "THE HOUSE" in all caps in her daily planner. Apparently it isn't her house, though. That's when I checked through Phillips' stuff. On his desk, there's a framed photo of him and his family standing in front of their dwelling. The caption on the frame reads "THE HOUSE." Hotch, I think Garcia's there." Hotch snapped his phone shut and quickly relayed the information to his team members.

There might have been hope for Penelope after all, if it weren't for the gun pointed straight at her head.

And if it weren't for the shot that followed with a resounding CRACK.

_Yes, that chapter was probably one of the meanest yet. Keep reviewing, please! I know you guys might be a wee bit mad at me at this point, but just keep reading! I'm hopefully going to be able to update daily for a couple more days…..but I will shortly be thrust into an extremely hectic schedule in which updates will NOT come as often. Sorry. _


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

_This is a bridge between the previous scene (this chappie involves what happens at the end of last chapter) and the big DRAMATIC thing I will have next chapter. I feel like the story is begging for a little bit of a breather, or maybe I'm just torturing you guys a bit. Bear with it, okay?_

Disclaimer: I do not own CM.

"_Higher, higher!" the little girl cries to her mother. Laughing, the woman obliges and pushes her daughter with more force. The small feet skim the leaves of the trees as the swing seems to get closer and closer to the sky with every pump of the girl's legs. The sun kisses her hair, giving it a more golden tint. A slight breeze weaves through the park, tickling her nose as it passes._

"_Do you think I'll be able to reach the clouds soon?" the girl asks, her eyes lighting up at that joyous prospect._

"_You're almost there already, Penny," her mother responds with a smile. _

"_Really?" _

"_Yes, look at your feet. Aren't they kicking the clouds right now?" The little girl glances at her pink shoes. Sure enough, they are touching the white puffs that so often fill her dreams. She laughs with excitement._

"_Mommy, Mommy, they are! They are kicking the clouds! Watch, watch!" Her face shines with glee._

"_I am watching, Penny! You're such a big girl!"_

"_Do you think I'll be able to fly one day, Mommy? Do you think I'll be able to play on the clouds?"_

"_I don't know that for sure, Pen, but I do know that when you put your mind to something, you can do it." This answer seems to satisfy the little girl. Secretly, though, she squishes her eyes shut and crosses her fingers, praying to God that she might one day get her wish and be able to soar high in the sky._

Garcia was brought back to the present, brought back from a place where she had felt absolute safety and peace, as she felt the gun glaring at her mere centimeters from her forehead.

"Anything you want me to tell Derek after you die?" Melinda sneered, her eyes gloating with sadistic pleasure.

"There's nothing that you could tell him that I couldn't," Penelope responded, summoning all of her strength to be able to look her nemesis in the face. "He knows that I love him more than anything or anyone in the world. He knows that I would do anything for him, even take a bullet. And he knows that our love for each other is stronger than the gun in your hand or the hatred in your heart."

"Does he, now? Are you really sure that Derek knows all this?" Melinda retorted, seemingly unfazed by Penelope's powerful words.

"With all my heart."

"Derek knows none of this, you pathetic bitch! As far as he knows, you abandoned him! Tell me, Pe-ne-lo-pe, do you think someone who would sleep with his partner's killer truly loves his partner? Derek hasn't even looked for you at all!"

"And would that be before or after you drugged him? You want him back, but would someone who truly loves him give him a substance to incapacitate him like that? What kind of love is that?" Penelope was determined to show no sign of weakness, no sign of fear. Melinda became visibly upset by this. She gestured towards the lifeless body of Phillips, whom she'd killed not hours before.

"Look, Penelope! Look at this man! This will be you in a moment! Are you sure you have nothing to say to me, your killer? Your conqueror?"

"Why, Melinda? Why all this just to get Derek back? That's what still confuses me. Even if you kill me, that doesn't necessarily mean that Derek will love you. He will NEVER love you, especially when he learns the truth about what you have done!" At this, Melinda seemed to snap completely. She was so angry, however, that her vision blurred, so she didn't notice that her target moved just enough so that the gun was no longer pointed at her head.

The bullet crawled out, a dull, soulless ball encasing years of rage, fury, jealousy. It landed squarely in its victim's stomach, causing ribbons of blood to spill out. Penelope's body shook as the pain began to register. Her eyes darted wildly around, as though rushing to see as much as they could while still able to.

And then fell upon Derek as he suddenly burst into the basement, wielding a gun, his own eyes wide with pure terror.

_Yeah. Pretty sure I'm gonna get death threats now. But that was something I really wanted to write, so too bad! I might get another update done today, so keep your fingers crossed!_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

_Here is the Derek Rescue Hour, presented by yours truly:) Very excited that I got to write more today! Updating tomorrow might not happen, that's why:(_

Derek heard the thundering gunshot and immediately rushed to the basement, where the origin of the crack was. When he arrived, he was immediately sickened by the scene unfolding in front of him. Penelope was sprawled on the ground, blood spilling out from a wound in her stomach. Her face was already going completely pale and her eyes were slowly flickering shut. Bruises covered most of her body, and a few scars disfigured her usually porcelain cheeks. Evidently her captor had been slowly torturing her as well as simply shooting her. Not two feet from her stood Melinda, smirking triumphantly, still clutching the gun.

Her smile didn't last. Derek didn't hesitate before pulling the trigger on the woman who had single-handedly trashed his world. _The lunch date. _SHOT. _The false note about Penelope leaving him. _SHOT. _The night he spent with her, the one night where he didn't prove that he loved Penelope with all of his heart. _SHOT. _Penelope's motionless body, encasing the bullet SHE put in there. _SHOT. Melinda toppled over, in seconds nothing but a shell of herself. She'd had no time to explain herself, no time to confess her "undying love" for her Dere-Beary, but Derek didn't give a damn what reasons she had for such a horrendous plan. All he cared about was that the woman he loved was dying right in front of him.

Rushing over, he placed a hand on her throat. Her pulse was faint and irregular, and her breathing was labored. He ripped off his T-Shirt and placed it over the bullet wound to help stop the bleeding. Derek gathered her bleeding, broken body in his arms and rocked her back in forth, his tears melding with the rivulets of red.

"Stay with me, Baby Girl. You hear? Stay with me!" he urged her. She moaned softly, her eyes fluttering open.

"Derek?" It seemed impossible, yet there he was. His eyes were watery and filled with unadulterated love and worry for her. Even through the excruciating agony filtering through her entire being, she managed to smile wanly at him to let him know how grateful she was that he had come for her.

"I'm here, Baby. Right here. Always and forever."

"I…love…..you," she rasped, her eyes starting to close. Panic seized Derek, as he knew that if she lost consciousness, it was possible that she would never awaken.

"Come on Baby, open your eyes! Stay with me!" he begged as he continued to sway her back and forth. She didn't respond. Sobbing, Derek lightly laid his head on her chest. Her heartbeat was still there, though very weak.

"GET A MEDIC!" he bellowed to Hotch and Prentiss, who were both standing a few yards away with tears in their eyes.

"They're on their way, I already called on our way here," Hotch responded. But Derek barely heard him, as he was still encouraging Penelope to wake up.

"Please, Baby Girl, open those beautiful eyes of yours! I love you too much to lose you! Come on, do it for me! Do it for your family who wants you back almost as much as I do! Please, girl!" After a second, her eyelids opened slightly. Penelope reached over and lightly grasped Derek's hand in hers.

"There you go, Penelope, there you go. Keep squeezing my hand." The squeezes were faint, but there, and that gave Derek hope, although he didn't lift his head from her chest. After a few minutes, the paramedics arrived on the scene, a stretcher and medical equipment in tow.

"Morgan, let them in to do their job," Prentiss murmured as she knelt down next to him and slowly stroked her dying friend's hair.

"I can't, Emily. I can't lose her." Letting Penelope leave his grasp seemed unimaginable, now that he finally could hold her again.

"Derek, listen. She WILL die if they can't treat her. The best thing you can do is step aside. You can ride with her in the ambulance." Morgan realized that Prentiss was right. He gently slipped Penelope into the steady arms of the waiting paramedics, who immediately set to work, grave looks on their faces.

"She has to be all right. She's got to be," he kept repeating to no one in particular. "She has to survive so that I can have the chance to make all of this up to her. She's just go to make it…."

"She's strong, Derek. Stronger than any of us give her credit for. She's survived this long here, so I don't think she'll go down without a fight." Prentiss reached over and hugged her colleague, her own tears mingling with the blood on Derek's clothes. Penelope was practically her sister, and she was just as scared as Morgan that she might lose her.

When Penelope was loaded onto the ambulance, more tubes attached to her than Derek could count, he insisted on riding with her. The chief paramedic seemed like he was about to argue, but the strong agent clambered into the vehicle before anyone could do anything about it. He immediately took Penelope's hand in his. It was still warm, which was somewhat comforting, because it meant that she was still in there somewhere, fighting for her very life. However, it was limp and didn't respond to his gentle squeeze. He kept applying pressure anyway, as though trying to transfer his energy into her.

"Hang on, Baby," he whispered, even though he realized that she probably couldn't hear him through her unconsciousness. "Hang on. Everything will be all right, but you have to stay with me, okay? You have to stay strong, you have to fight. I know you can do it, Baby Girl."

Her only response was to go completely lifeless as the heart monitor sound suddenly became monotone. She was flat-lining, and there was nothing Derek could physically do but watch it happen right in front of his terrified eyes.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

_Really long and horrible day today. Writing is the one place where I can get away from my stress, so that is probably the only reason why I'm updating, as I am quite tired too after a long practice. I'm sure you guys don't really care, though:P whatever, here it is….FOR SURE NO UPDATE TOMORROW. THAT IS A PROMISE. Keep reviewing btw. Means a lot during this rough time._

Disclaimer: Gosh darn it, I still don't own the show.

After those few tense minutes, Derek sat back in his seat, relief flooding through him. Penelope was breathing again, though this time with an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth.

"Don't you dare scare me like that again, you hear me, Penelope?" he gently ordered as he tenderly fondled her hand in his. "You keep breathing, all right?" The paramedic who was applying pressure to her gunshot wound shook his head.

"Buddy, I've heard it all. The begging. The bargaining with God. It doesn't help. It only gives you false hope for a miracle that probably won't happen. I'm not going to lie to you: your girlfriend might not come out of this." But Derek didn't listen to such pessimism. He knew that if his and Garcia's roles were switched, she wouldn't either. Her constant determination to have an optimistic attitude was one of the things he loved most about her.

And so he clutched her hand even tighter.

Three Hours Later

Derek was starting to panic as he paced in the hospital waiting room. _Should it really take this long to remove a bullet?, _he wondered. His heart was throbbing at the prospect of losing her, of losing the woman who he had unabashedly loved with his whole being. And if he lost her, it would partly be his fault. If he'd only seen through Melinda and her heinous scheme…if only…..if only…..if only he hadn't been so stupid to believe the fake letter…if only…if only. These thoughts swirled around in his mind, making him want to be sick.

On the other side of the room, the rest of the team sat anxiously as they waited for news. They didn't dare hope for another miracle and were already crying silently, JJ most of all. Stoic Hotch was having a hard time keeping all of his emotions inside. The whole situation was bitterly unfair. Melinda was dead. Her suffering on Earth was gone. But not theirs. And not Penelope's. Unless she, too, had already departed this world. That prospect was almost too gutwrenching to imagine. Life without Garcia was like a life with less color, with less vivid hues and shades that made everything infinitely more interesting.

Finally, the no-nonsense surgeon appeared, looking rather worn out. The team hastily gathered around him, collectively holding their breaths in apprehensive anticipation.

"We were able to repair the injuries suffered from the gunshot and from what I guess is repeated assault or torture. Her ankle is badly sprained still, and she is covered in contusions and lacerations, which also were mended."

"Is she going to be okay?" Emily asked nervously.

"In time, yes. Right now she is sedated, but that is only to help her body get the rest it needs. She's been through a great ordeal, and although she will soon be fine physically, she will certainly need faithful friends like you guys to help her get through the emotional wounds that were inflicted." The news, while not fully positive, still brought faint smiles to every team member's face.

"Can I see her?" Derek questioned. After learning that his Baby Girl was all right, he didn't feel like he could wait another second to lay his eyes on her.

"I suppose, but I will have to limit it to one visitor for now. Ms. Garcia doesn't need any additional stress." The team nodded and Derek followed the doctor to her room.

Penelope lay completely still and quiet under starch white sheets. The color of her face matched that of her pillow, at least the parts that weren't hidden under gauze. Her eyes seemed pasted shut and were a fingerpainting of black, blue, and purple. Derek was comforted by the fact that she was breathing on her own despite her multiple injuries. He reached over and slipped her hand into his. It was clammy and unwelcoming, not seeming like the Penelope he knew. But was this really her? Was this unconscious body really that of his Baby Girl?

"Don't worry. Within twenty four hours, the sedative will be reduced, and she'll wake up soon after that. She won't be like this forever." The nurse had obviously seen the uncertainty and fear on Derek's face.

"Are you sure that she'll be okay?" he asked her. "Is there any chance of infection or anything like that?" He felt guard dog-like over her, since she couldn't protect herself at the moment.

"Well, it's never one hundred percent, but we're pretty confident that if all goes to plan, she won't experience anything like that." This answer didn't even come close to satisfying Derek, but he supposed he had to live with it for the moment. He began to stroke Penelope's hair. Even in her frail state, her blonde curls had their usual bounce, their life not diminished in the least in the current predicament. This alone gave him hope.

"Can you hear me, Baby Girl?" he softly whispered. Of course, no answer came, but that didn't matter.

"I love you so much, more than anything in the universe. I know I've said that before, but with every time, I mean it more and more. You complete me, Penelope. Without you, I don't think I can go on. I know you need to rest, but just know that when you wake up, you will make me the happiest I've ever been. You might be confused about what happened to you, and believe me when I say I have a lot of explaining to do. Through it all, though, never doubt that I love you. When you get out, we can start a life together. We can start a family and be with each other for all of eternity." He reached into his pocket instinctively, though the ring wasn't there. No matter. He still intended to give it to her as soon as she could forgive him for everything. Because he couldn't imagine wedding anyone else on the entire planet.

Derek hoped that even though Penelope couldn't respond, she could imagine. She could imagine marrying him, living with him, having children. And imagine them walking, hand in hand, towards the setting sun to spend the rest of forever together.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds, because if I did I would make the season premiere start RIGHT NOW!

Derek awoke the next morning feeling somewhat rested. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he once again started his vigil over Penelope, whose condition hadn't really improved during the night. _But she's still there, _he reminded himself. _She's still with me. _A nurse appeared and started taking Garcia's vitals.

"Will she wake up today?" Derek asked her, fingers subconsciously crossed. It was slowly killing him inside that he couldn't see her electrifying brown eyes or her dazzling smile that always reminded him that, no matter what, things could and would get better.

"There's a good chance that we can reduce the sedative now, yes. Her vitals are quite strong. I can tell she's a fighter. You must mean something real important to her that she would fight this hard to stay with you." The nurse smiled faintly at him and left. Sighing in relief, Derek decided to speak with Penelope again.

"Remember that case in Alaska? You were so brave, Baby Girl, so selfless to risk your own life to help someone else. I swore to myself and to you that I would always be your protector for the rest of my life. That hasn't changed, Baby, and it never will. I'm sorry that I didn't protect you from Melinda, but believe me when I say that you will never go through something like that again. I won't let you. I'll gladly lay down my life so that you won't have to. Please believe that and come back to me, okay?" When Derek was finished, he felt a presence behind him.

"Want company?" It was Rossi. Morgan shrugged, a premonition of dread filling his whole body. He had a feeling that the older agent was not here just to comfort him.

"Morgan, we need to know about Melinda, how you were involved with her, that kind of thing. I don't believe you were part of this, but people are going to start asking questions, and we can't just say 'no comment' to all of them, you know that." Derek swallowed deeply, but decided not to waste time. He would bear any consequences willingly, because if he hadn't allowed Melinda back in his life, Penelope would've been just fine.

"Melinda was my ex-girlfriend, like I said. We met in Chicago, when I was a cop and she was a Technical Analyst for the crappy CSU we had. Our relationship was doomed to failure from the start, I guess. I only let it go on for about five months so that the breakup wouldn't hurt her that much." At this, Rossi nodded somberly.

"Morgan, bad call. If there isn't the right chemistry after one date, don't keep taking her out and whatnot."

"Yeah, I was a bit of an ass back then. Anyway, when I broke up with her, it was conveniently at about the same time when I got hired for the position here at the BAU. I was ready for a fresh start, a new beginning. Apparently, Melinda wasn't. Of course, because I wasn't really an excellent profiler then, I couldn't see the signs of psychopathy, OCD, all that. Her issues that she hid were probably why our relationship didn't last. Her 'love' for me was probably just an obsession."

"Most likely."

"A few weeks ago, she came up to me in a coffee shop. Clearly she hadn't given me up for good. She told me about her job at the FBI, and I didn't really find any coincidence with that like I should have. My guard was down, Dave, it was totally gone. And then we had the lunch date…and Phillips gave me Pen's false goodbye note…..and I suppose you know the rest." Derek hung his head in shame. For a few moments, nothing could be heard other than the steady bleep from the heart monitor by Penelope's bed.

"Derek, your guard maybe was down, but I may know part of the reason why. I don't know if you knew that Melinda kept several journals filled with her fantasies. Most of them involved you and her…doing…things of the sexual nature, but there was a great deal of planning this scheme. She mentioned drugging you with an opiate to keep you sort of 'out of it.' If I were you, I'd get tested." Derek's mouth fell open in shock. He hadn't felt like he was on anything at all. Maybe it was a small amount though…a few drops in his drink at the diner…the water he drank just before he made love to her. She'd given the glass to him…

"Damn, how could I let myself fall into her web?" he asked himself. "How could I be that stupid?"

"Come on, Morgan, you're a man. Melinda was a rather attractive woman that seemed relatively harmless. Combine that with the opiate and even the most experienced profiler might fall for it."

"Rossi, I wouldn't be too banged up about it, but the woman I love was nearly killed because I was a dumbass!"

"Let me tell you something. Garcia loves you deeply with a love that I never had with my three ex-wives. I don't have to work in the FBI to get that. With that kind of love, I have come to realize, also comes forgiveness and trust. She'll still love you through this, I'm sure. After all, you did save her life. She would've died from the bullet wound if you hadn't come when you did. Any fault you had in this surely is eclipsed by that." Derek nodded slowly.

And then both men were shocked when Penelope suddenly moaned a bit and began to open her eyes.

"Come on, Baby Girl, wake up for me," Derek encouraged her. After a moment, he nearly cried with joy when he saw her deep brown eyes.

But his stomach turned when she looked straight at him and said, "Who are you?"

_Da DA DUUUUUMMMM. I am a magician and have just pulled an unexpected twist from my hat! _


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

_I am not a doctor. Don't plan to be one either. Therefore, the amnesia stuff is kind of borrowed from more experienced authors. I'll cite __Don't Leave Me this Way __by Dayana182, __Amnesia__ by Naidoo, __Regarding Penelope __by bahjcb, and __I Made a Mistake __ by klcm as stories that sort of helped me figure out how to write this. By the way, if you haven't read these, put them on your bucket list._

Disclaimer: Although I would be a much better CBS exec than Madame Tesslar, who said that AJ and Paget's firing helped the show, I alas own nothing of my favorite program.

…_..she looked straight at him and asked "Who are you?"_

Derek felt his throat go dry. He stared at Penelope, trying to determine if she was joking, but it became quite apparent that she wasn't. Her eyes were hazy with confusion, and her hand wriggled out of his grasp, as though she suddenly felt uncomfortable with a stranger holding it.

"Y-You don't remember me?" he questioned. She slowly shook her head no and closed her eyes for a minute, squinting them in concentration as her brain scrambled to find the answer. Nowhere in her memories, however, could she find this dark and handsome man who seemed to have great concern for her.

"I'll get a nurse," Rossi murmured, looking uneasy. A few minutes later, an angular woman entered the room, clipboard in hand.

"It's good to see you awake," she said with a smile as she approached Penelope, who merely shrugged. "I hear you are having some memory problems, is this correct?"

"I can't remember who that is," she responded, gesturing towards Derek.

"Do you know who this gentleman is?" the nurse asked, pointing at Rossi. Penelope nodded.

"That's Agent Rossi. I work with him. He's a good friend of mine." Dave smiled at her, which was reassuring during this uncertain time.

"Do you know how you got here?" Her eyes went blank.

"No. The last thing I remember…was….going to work."

"Do you know what day it was?" Garcia shook her head. Her eyes began to droop as more pain medication was administered. Within moments, she was completely asleep.

"Well?" Derek glared at the nurse, not wanting to wait another moment to have his question answered.

"It appears as though she is suffering from localized amnesia, which is why she can't remember you. Her inability to remember the circumstances in which she was brought here could be psychological, in that she doesn't want to remember, or it could be more serious. I'll order some tests." The nurse strode briskly out of the room, leaving behind the pungent odor of all the medication she'd been in contact with.

"What the hell is going on?" Derek asked Rossi. "Why can she remember you, but not remember me?"

"I can't tell you for sure, Morgan. The tests might reveal the answer, but prepare yourself that they might not give you the answer you want. It could be that she won't get her memories back." At that horrible thought, Derek had to work hard to blink back tears. _Movie nights, parties, sleeping curled up next to each other, dancing….were these times lost forever for her? Could they ever go back to what they were before this happened? Or would she move on and find another guy? Would she be lost from him again, so soon after she barely escaped death?_

After several minutes of subdued and brooding silence, a sharp cough coming from Penelope's bed brought both men back to reality.

"How you feeling, Penelope?" Derek didn't feel comfortable using nicknames yet, not if she didn't even know who he was.

"A little tired. And my stomach hurts." She winced, but then smiled as Morgan lightly placed his hand on her wounds.

"I don't know if you remember anything about me at all or not, but I'm Derek Morgan. I work in the BAU, just like you. I'm a profiler though, since I can't be a computer genius like you." Nothing. No lightbulb suddenly lighting up over her head, no dawn of comprehension at all. Derek desperately wanted to add "and we're dating and I want to propose to you", but realized that if he said this, it might scare her away. Memories, he had learned, could be fragile, delicate things. Forcing them back could only make everything worse.

"Were we, I mean, are we, friends?" she asked, though she realized instantly that it was a stupid question. If this 'Derek' guy was merely a colleague, he wouldn't bother with easing her pain. And if he was just a coworker, then why did she feel so good, so right when he was there? Why did she feel like the world was at peace, even though she was in a hospital bed for reasons still unknown?

"Yeah, you could say that," he replied carefully. This answer seemed to satisfy her, however. She turned to face Rossi.

"Is the rest of the team okay?"

"You remember them, Garcia?" Rossi asked, a bit surprised.

"Of course I do. You guys are my family." She didn't look at Derek as she said this, though.

"Well, everyone was really worried about you. In fact, I should probably go tell them that you're up." Rossi excused himself, knowing that she and Derek needed some time alone. A moment of quiet, and then she spoke.

"D-Derek, why I am I in here? Why does my stomach hurt so bad, and why can't I remember you or what happened to me?"

"I don't know if I should answer all of that. I don't want to force anything on you right now. Besides, no one knows exactly why you have memory loss. The test results haven't come in yet." Derek knew, though, that one day she would find out. She would find out his part in all this. She would find out that, because of some psychotic bitch and her pathetic puppet, she nearly died. And, hopefully, she would find out how much he truly loved her.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

_Hey, just wanted to thank everyone again for reading reviewing, alerting, whatever! Makes me feel happy-I think I'm having way too much fun with this story. I think I've responded to everyone as much as possible—sorry if I missed a chapter or two! Now onto the tale! It's about time we see more of the rest of the team, even though M/G is so cute._

Disclaimer: It is much to my chagrin to announce that I do not own Criminal Minds.

Two Weeks Later

"Jayje, you know you don't have to do this, right?" Penelope tried to protest, crossing her arms with as much dignity as she could muster with her current injuries. JJ simply shook her head.

"Garcia, you're staying at my place. There's no way you can take care of everything by yourself." She was right. Changing the bandages, getting herself to and from appointments with the doctor—all would certainly require assistance. Nodding in disgruntled agreement, Penelope sat herself down in the wheelchair.

"This is so stupid. I can use crutches, you know. Hospital regulations be damned."

"Hey, at least you get out, right?" Emily sensibly pointed out. "The doctor could've made you stay even longer."

"Oh, gosh, if I had to be stuck watching the same old soap operas and getting pricked by needles for tests that showed nothing, someone would've gotten hurt." All three women laughed. Garcia's smile faded though, as her partial joke held some truth. No one really knew why her memories weren't coming back. The only explanation most specialists had was that it was psychological, that deep down within her, something was refusing to let her remember. Perhaps it was the trauma she'd suffered, who could say?

What hurt her most was that she couldn't for the life of her recall Derek as anything other than that guy she saw when she first woke up. Every time she saw him, she'd scrutinize his every feature, every line, trying desperately to find a glimmer of recollection. Her efforts proved fruitless. He was still a name and a face. Nothing more.

"Don't worry, Garcia. You'll remember," JJ murmured softly, reading Penelope like a book. It was this kind of connection that made them practically sisters. But this reassurance didn't help too much.

"Yeah, but JJ, what if it isn't for years until I do? What if he doesn't want to have contact with me again? What if he doesn't care about me any more?" JJ almost laughed, and Garcia frowned.

"Pen, don't worry. Derek will never stop caring about you. Ever since you landed in that hospital bed he's done nothing but worry about you. While you were unconscious, he never left your side, and the only reason he isn't here now is because Hotch forced him to get some paperwork done." Prentiss nodded in agreement.

"Wow. We must've been close then," Penelope muttered, using the past tense because she didn't really know what they could be considered now.

Under her breath, Emily mumbled, "You don't know the half of it." They still didn't want to reveal the fact that she and Derek had been an item. It was getting difficult, though, to keep this hidden. After a while, Garcia probably would piece all of the tiny pieces of the puzzle together and figure it out, with or without the memories.

Soon they reached JJ's car. She and JJ helped Penelope into the front seat, a process that proved difficult with all of the bandages.

"Can I meet you guys at your place?" Prentiss asked JJ. "We could hang for awhile."

"Of course, Em. The more the merrier, right?"

For the next few hours, most troubles were cast aside as the girls enjoyed chick flicks and carryout Chinese food. It was nice _sometimes_, Garcia decided, to forget one's problems. However, her eyes kept darting to the framed BAU team photo JJ had on the wall. Derek or whoever had his arm wrapped around her waist, and she was leaning against him. Both of them looked completely comfortable with each other, and she could tell from the expressions of the rest of the team that this behavior wasn't abnormal at all.

_Who was he? Who was that man in the picture?_

Five Days Later, Derek's Apartment

He couldn't sleep. Of course, rest hadn't come easily for several weeks now, but tonight especially was rough. Maybe it was because it had now been more than a month since they'd shared a bed. It was always easier to relax when he and Penelope were together. The refreshing scent of her hair, her rhythmic breathing, her head lying gently on his chest—it made him feel like he was right where he was supposed to be. Like everything was safe, like there was no more evil in the world because all that was near him was good. But Penelope…..she didn't miss those nights. She didn't remember them, remember him, remember the connection they shared. He needed her more than he needed oxygen to breathe, but to her he was just….a stranger.

Suddenly, Derek bolted out of bed. He slipped a pair of pants on and rushed down to his car. Hastily, he drove to Pen's apartment. He knew from Prentiss that she was no longer staying at JJ's place. Although he knew he seemed stalker-like, his heart just couldn't take it any longer. He walked business-like to her floor. Pulling out the key she'd given him more than a year ago, his mind finally caught up with the rest of him.

_What the hell are you doing, man? She'll throw you out, maybe call the cops! To her, you're just some random guy that happens to work in the same building! Face it, she doesn't want you here! _Derek realized he should settle for the logical voice in his head, for the time being.He was about to turn away, about to just settle for yet another sleepless night…..

When a scream echoed through the apartment.

_And just when y'all thought I couldn't possibly come up with another cliffhanger:P_


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

_Lucky number thirteen, eh? Won't keep you hanging-let the adventure continue!_

Disclaimer: *picks up pom-poms and begins to cheer* One, Two, Three, Four, I don't own the show and won't say it anymore!

_It was dark. Quiet. She was in a musty room, tied up like cargo. Her entire body throbbed in pain and she could feel blood from her multiple cuts sliding down her back. She wondered how she had come to be in such a place, but the silence provided no answers._

"_Help!" she tried to call out, in case anyone could hear her and could come to her aid. "Please, somebody help me!" No response. She fervently attempted to remove the chains that bound her, but to no avail. The metal bit into her skin more and more with every passing second, the agony rising every moment that she couldn't break free of her prison._

_Suddenly, a monster appeared before her, a monster that towered several feet above her head. Yellow eyes gleamed with malice, eyes that outnumbered the number of legs on a centipede. Pincers, stained scarlet, clicked together as they reached for her. The creature's face showed no trace of warmth, only a gloating pleasure as it realized that he (or she? or it?) had total control. The woman screamed, fear slithering through her body like a fanged serpent. She could feel the creature closing in…._

_And then disappearing. The monster started to morph into something smaller, something with far fewer eyes and no pincers, yet something no less malevolent. It was a woman. A terrifying, cruel woman, whose beauty was clearly only skin deep. Blood dripped from her teeth. Her piercing cackle pierced through the prisoner's ears, a sound so haunting that it seemed far worse than the discomfort of the chains._

"_You'll never see him again," she whispered tauntingly as a scythe, already splashed in red, appeared in her hand out of nowhere. "Prepare to breathe your last!" Her victim squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the end…._

Derek burst into Penelope's apartment and rushed to her bed, where the scream had sounded. His Baby Girl was curled in a ball, emitting a pain-filled whimper, tears streaming down her face. He sat beside her and gently stroked her soft blonde hair.

"Shhh, shhh, it's all right, Baby, it's all right," he soothed, reaching over to peck her temple. At his touch, she recoiled and began to thrash, murmuring something barely coherent, but her voice was clearly still laced with terror. Derek realized he should probably wake her up. Gently shaking her shoulder, he encouraged her to come back.

"That's it, Baby, wake up," he whispered as her eyes slowly fluttered open. She first looked frightened…and then downright alarmed as she realized she wasn't alone.

"What the hell are you doing in my house?" she asked, her face trying to decide if it should look wary or completely repulsed.

"I was near your door, about to leave, when I heard you scream. I had to make sure you were okay, but luckily it was just a nightmare."

"That doesn't really answer my question. Why were you near my door? Are you some sort of a stalker, trying to prey on crippled women?" Penelope put her hands on her hips, all defenses up, trying to muster as much strength as possible, even though deep down, she was still reeling from the horrible dream she'd had.

"No, Penelope, I'm not like that at all. I just wanted to see you," was Derek's simple response.

"It's two A.M. No one comes for a house call at that hour."

"I know, but the truth is that I've really missed you." Penelope's face softened at these words, and then guilt flooded her entire body. He might miss her, but she didn't really miss him. Not when she couldn't remember him, remember whatever relationship they'd had.

"Are you okay? Do you want to talk about the dream you just had?" She shook her head no. No way would she share anything about what she was going through to a complete stranger.

"That's okay." Derek leaned in and hugged her. Penelope was about to sharply pull away and tell him to get the hell away from her, but then she caught a whiff of his signature cologne.

And remembered.

She remembered the awkward meeting, where he didn't know her name and called her something he would call her from then on. She remembered the long talks, the strolls at night, flirting over the phone while he was on a case. She remembered dancing with him, the feel of his hands guiding her. She remembered the times they'd shared the bed, his comforting scent lulling her to sleep—and perhaps that was why it had triggered all of these memories now. She remembered Melinda, the basement, how her dream about the monster wasn't really that far off. She remembered the shot, the pains that had ricocheted through her whole body, the fear on his face as he cradled her tenderly in his arms.

She remembered the man she loved.

Tears spilled from her eyes and soaked into Derek's shirt. Penelope clung to him as tight as she could as the sobs wracked her body. All Derek could do was hold her to his steady chest and run his hand along her back.

"Do you remember me now, Baby Girl?" he asked, though not quite daring to hope for that much. A moment later however, he could feel her nod into his shirt. Joy filled his every vein. She was back. The woman he loved was well and truly back, and now nothing, absolutely nothing, could take her away from him again.

For a time not measured in seconds, minutes, or hours, they grasped tightly onto one another, the embrace almost like a shield that protected them from everything else.

There were no monsters. No evil women. Only each other, and the unbreakable bond of love.

_A huge kudos to LoveforPenandDerek for guessing the events of this chapter. Though I would like to point out that no one predicted a non-cliffhanger ending for this part-so I will say you're welcome now. JK._


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

_Just a little epilogue-y type thing to wrap this up! _

It was night, and Derek and Penelope were lying side by side, his arm wrapped around her waist, on the bed. Silence had long since enveloped both of them, and for awhile they simply enjoyed the feel of each other. Outside, a full moon bathed the roof in its dulled luminescence, and crickets chirped with excitement.

"You didn't have to, you know that?" Derek suddenly spoke.

"What do you mean?" Penelope asked, shifting slightly.

"You didn't have to forgive me." Only a few hours before, he'd told her everything, starting from his days as a Chicago cop. With each painful truth, his eyes had solicited bitter tears. Penelope had cried too, especially when she found out about him sleeping with her enemy. It opened old wounds that she would've preferred to just let scar. But she accepted his mournful apologies. Her love for him wouldn't let her hold any grudges.

"Yes, handsome, I did have to. I don't know any other way to live than to have all of my anger and hurt taken away. And that's what forgiveness does. Besides, it wasn't your fault, really. It was Melinda's." She gently kissed his cheek.

"I love you, Baby Girl, you know that right?"

"What, do you think I could forget when you tell me every night?" she teased. "I love you too, my god of sculpted chocolate thunder." She placed her hand over his abs, tracing her fingers along his well-defined muscles.

"Baby, I hope you realize that…that I'm serious. That I want to spend the rest of my life with you. That I would do anything to keep you happy."

"Derek, stop! If this is guilt over what happened, forget it! I already forgave you, and I'm ready to move on. Don't feel like you have to take care of me just because of what _she _did."

"Penelope, this has nothing to do with that, I swear!" He reached into his pocket and pulled out the velvet box. Opening it, he watched as her eyes fell upon the dazzling ring. Watched as a huge smile formed on her face. Watched as tears fell down her cheeks.

"I've been waiting a long time to ask you this, and now I just can't wait any longer. Penelope Garcia, will you do me the extraordinary honor of becoming my wife?"

"Y-You really mean it?" she sobbed.

"With all my heart, Baby Girl. With every part of me." She reached out her hand for him to slip the ring onto her finger.

"Nothing in this world would give me greater pleasure than to marry you." Derek smiled and wrapped her up in a hug. His lips met hers in a searing, passionate kiss. A kiss that neither one would ever forget.

A kiss that bound them even tighter in the throes of love.

One Year Later

They sat at the park bench, gazing into the sky, these two lovers. Soulmates. Partners. Her hand was clasped tightly in his, the contrasting skin tones melding perfectly together. In the grass, a snake, a brown garter, lay.

"Penelope, you're a bit quiet. Everything okay?"

"Oh, yeah, fine. Just thinking, that's all."

"What about?"

"If the baby will like the park." Derek's face broke into a smile at her words. He leaned over and hugged her.

"Are you serious, Baby Girl?" She nodded, watching as his eyes began to fill with tears of joy.

"Yeah. Took a test this morning, but I already kind of knew." For the next few moments, all was quiet as they allowed the atmosphere to absorb their rampaging emotions.

"I love you so much, Penelope."

"Love you too, Derek."

After awhile, they walked, hand in hand, to the car. It would be awhile until Derek discovered the tiny residue left on his shoe from where he'd stepped on the snake.

It had been a long road, but now all was well.

_All done! Thanks for reading, reviewing, alerting, favoriting! Had way too much fun trying to torture you guys with this angsty story! My next fic, coming soon, is something I am SUPER EXCITED about. It (I hope) is very unique and dramatic. Will say no more, other than I don't think I've had such enthusiasm over a narrative in a while. Thanks again for supporting me:) You guys rock!_


End file.
